TakingITGlobal - Panorama - Ugandan Rebels...

Published on: Oct 23, 2003

Topic:

Type: Opinions

https://www.tigweb.org/express/panorama/article.html?ContentID=2106

The sullen silence and uncaring attitude that pervades the atrocious insurgency being committed by the so-called Lord’s Resistance Army in Northern Uganda can no longer be left alone. As the malevolent rebels preside over blood curdling murders, and spine chilling rapes, many are now asking why the magnanimous silence from the moribund and toothless bulldog in the name of the African Union. Yet many others ask what role the international community is playing in this pervasive and dehumanizing rot committed by one Joseph Kony and his obliterated rag tag henchmen, goons and hoodlums.

In a heartless guerilla war presumably pitting the southerner President Museveni against the northerner Kony, many families have been left homeless, others wiped off the face of the earth, and many more psychologically, emotionally and physically impaled in the 17 years that this conflict has existed. With the youth that the rebels replenishes within its ranks, the contentious global issue of child soldiers has come to the fore and in a serious broach here not forgetting that young girls are also used as concubines in the glare of the entire humane world!

Many are now left questioning who in his or her right mind would go his or her own way to bankroll such a cancerous and malignantly sick war under the aegis of liberation. The appalling and unhygienic conditions in which many have been left puts forward a crystal clear fact that this war is pointless with the personal interests of a few cronies being left to prevail.

With accusations and counteraccusations being traded by both the Ugandan and Sudanese governments as to who is funding the belligerent Lord’s Resistance Army organization, the plight of war victims is left to the psychological and moral dogs of decadence, brutality and abject poverty. Knowing that words and trading of accusations at each other will do little to solve the this crisis, it should come to the mind of the concerned leaders especially the better placed East African Community and the IGAD Secretariat that a time has come for them to put the act together, consult and bring a quick solution to the visionless conflict.

It would be worthwhile to point out to Joseph Kony the emptiness and despicability of his actions. For while claiming to “liberate” his people, it is quite ironical to note that it is the same people, his clansmen and women, that he is ignorantly pursuing, killing and maiming to presumably free them from President Museveni’s secular rule. And form a fallacious state by the Ten Biblical Commandments.

Being a Christian myself, and thus well versed with the good book, it is my submission that there certainly is no indication therein that killing people will free the same people from any bondage political, economical or otherwise. Call it collateral damage if you like Mr. Kony, but there is absolutely no justification for that and it would be of paramount vitality to confirm that history has you and your deeds in its annals.
The silence of the African Christians is also wanting as they watch the slaughter of their brothers and sisters from a safe distance. Where are the top African prelate, clergymen and women in all this? What stake do the Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his ilk have in this conflict? What are they doing to correct to correct Biblical misinterpretations by the Joseph Kony’s of this continent?

A time has now come for the African leaders to restore the integrity of this erstwhile beautiful continent. Gone are the days when the international community should view Africa as a hub for rebels and discontented goons and in effect pit leaders against each other in a chessboard of selfish interests and greed. Africans like Joseph Kony should realize this.

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by Antony Felix O. O. Simbowo
Published on: Oct 23, 2003
Topic:
Type: Opinions
https://www.tigweb.org/express/panorama/article.html?ContentID=2106


The sullen silence and uncaring attitude that pervades the atrocious insurgency being committed by the so-called Lord’s Resistance Army in Northern Uganda can no longer be left alone. As the malevolent rebels preside over blood curdling murders, and spine chilling rapes, many are now asking why the magnanimous silence from the moribund and toothless bulldog in the name of the African Union. Yet many others ask what role the international community is playing in this pervasive and dehumanizing rot committed by one Joseph Kony and his obliterated rag tag henchmen, goons and hoodlums. In a heartless guerilla war presumably pitting the southerner President Museveni against the northerner Kony, many families have been left homeless, others wiped off the face of the earth, and many more psychologically, emotionally and physically impaled in the 17 years that this conflict has existed. With the youth that the rebels replenishes within its ranks, the contentious global issue of child soldiers has come to the fore and in a serious broach here not forgetting that young girls are also used as concubines in the glare of the entire humane world! Many are now left questioning who in his or her right mind would go his or her own way to bankroll such a cancerous and malignantly sick war under the aegis of liberation. The appalling and unhygienic conditions in which many have been left puts forward a crystal clear fact that this war is pointless with the personal interests of a few cronies being left to prevail. With accusations and counteraccusations being traded by both the Ugandan and Sudanese governments as to who is funding the belligerent Lord’s Resistance Army organization, the plight of war victims is left to the psychological and moral dogs of decadence, brutality and abject poverty. Knowing that words and trading of accusations at each other will do little to solve the this crisis, it should come to the mind of the concerned leaders especially the better placed East African Community and the IGAD Secretariat that a time has come for them to put the act together, consult and bring a quick solution to the visionless conflict. It would be worthwhile to point out to Joseph Kony the emptiness and despicability of his actions. For while claiming to “liberate” his people, it is quite ironical to note that it is the same people, his clansmen and women, that he is ignorantly pursuing, killing and maiming to presumably free them from President Museveni’s secular rule. And form a fallacious state by the Ten Biblical Commandments. Being a Christian myself, and thus well versed with the good book, it is my submission that there certainly is no indication therein that killing people will free the same people from any bondage political, economical or otherwise. Call it collateral damage if you like Mr. Kony, but there is absolutely no justification for that and it would be of paramount vitality to confirm that history has you and your deeds in its annals. The silence of the African Christians is also wanting as they watch the slaughter of their brothers and sisters from a safe distance. Where are the top African prelate, clergymen and women in all this? What stake do the Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his ilk have in this conflict? What are they doing to correct to correct Biblical misinterpretations by the Joseph Kony’s of this continent? A time has now come for the African leaders to restore the integrity of this erstwhile beautiful continent. Gone are the days when the international community should view Africa as a hub for rebels and discontented goons and in effect pit leaders against each other in a chessboard of selfish interests and greed. Africans like Joseph Kony should realize this. « return.